The Big Springs are Here… Finally!

It took a while but the really big boys are finally off Nanaimo. Specifically deep off Entrance Island. Lots of fish in the high 20's and some Tyees. These are the fish I've been hearing about all summer, from the North Island fisherman. Apparently its a larger class of fish than we've seen for a few seasons, and they are now here!!! They are down 180-230ft and hitting light green Splatter Back, and Blue Meanie hootchies, or Killy McGee and Irish Cream spoons. Also some nice sized Coho are schooling around 5 Finger Island. They are at 60-120 ft. Use 3" Pink Sink, Nickel Blue spoons or Ace High flies remember as yet retention is for hatchery only, even though there are more than we have seen for 15 years or so. Some are decent sized, Ted 'The Prawn Whisperer' McKinney recently hooked into a matched set of 20" Coho. It's also getting close to salmon jigging season. So if you don't have downriggers, now's the time you can start to access shallower fish closer to shore. Look for underwater reefs that are 30-80ft below the surface, and jig Lil' Nib and Delta half jigs (Both Nanaimo designed lures). Aim for low slack tide and drop on the back eddy side of the reef. Most hits will be on the drop. This is the most fun salmon fishing of the season. However, as stated above, the big fish aren't in tight to shore yet. So I'd delay jigging inshore for now, to instead target the big guys out past Entrance Island. Tips up, Steve Vavrik